“Terrifying for the rest of the NBA” - NBA Insider weighs in on OKC Thunder’s rise to Playoff contention amid $35 Million cap space

The Dallas Mavericks knocked out the OKC Thunder of the 2024 NBA Playoffs behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's heroics after Game 6's 117-116 win on Saturday.

The Thunder weren't expected to make a deep push, keeping in mind their inexperience, with many of their impact players making their postseason debuts. Nevertheless, they impressed with a 4-0 sweep in the first round against the New Orleans Pelicans and nearly forced a Game 7 in round two against Dallas.

The loss will hurt, but the big picture for the Thunder is what lies ahead after a fairly impressive showing. NBA insider Keith Smith summed up why OKC should be a feared team in the coming years, saying:

"The Thunder being this good AND having $35M in cap space is terrifying for the rest of the NBA. They don't need to lose a single rotation player to create that much space either."

The OKC Thunder marginally missed the playoffs in 2023, finishing with a 40-42 record. They lost in the play-in tournament knockout game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, OKC stunned everyone this year, finishing the season as the Western Conference leader with a 56-26 record. The Thunder exceeded expectations in a stacked Western Conference with at least 11 playoff contenders.

With probably the best luxury in terms of cap space and draft assets available to the team, the Thunder will hope to build on 2023-24's success and make the next step with their young core.

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OKC Thunder's salary cap situation for 2024 offseason

The OKC Thunder find themselves in a favorable position for the 2024-25 offseason, with only four teams boasting more cap flexibility in comparison. Neither of them are in the West. OKC has committed $97.2 million in salary.

That allows them to chase a superstar player if one becomes available via trade or free agency. The Thunder could also rely on secondary and third scoring options like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to make the next step and upgrade their roster by addressing glaring weaknesses, like the lack of size and shooting.

OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti possesses a wealth of draft assets that can be leveraged to improve the team. With multiple first-round picks at his disposal, Presti has the flexibility to either utilize the picks in the draft or trade them to acquire players who can make an immediate impact.

They can build a versatile roster similar to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, or Boston Celtics, which may accelerate their rise atop the NBA in the next year or two.